In Pursuit of Elegance: Why the Best Ideas Have Something Missing

What made the" Sopranos" finale one of the most-talked-about events in television history? Why is sudoku so addictive and the iPhone so irresistible? What do Jackson Pollock and Lance Armstrong have in common with theoretical physicists and Buddhist monks? Elegance. In this thought-provoking exploration of why certain events, products, and people capture our attention and imaginations, Matthew E. May examines the elusive element behind so many innovative breakthroughs in fields ranging from physics and marketing to design and popular culture. Combining unusual simplicity and surprising power, elegance is characterized by four key elements--seduction, subtraction, symmetry, and sustainability. In a compelling, story-driven narrative that sheds light on the need for elegance in design, engineering, art, urban planning, sports, and work, May offers surprising evidence that what's "not there" often trumps what is. In the bestselling tradition of "The Tipping Point, Made to Stick, " and "The Black Swan, ""In Pursuit of Elegance" will change the way you think about the world.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Matthew E. May is a longtime Toyota business partner, holding a key advisory role with the University of Toyota for more than eight years. As a master Toyota instructor and founder of L.A.-based Aevitas, he partners with management teams to achieve excellence in innovation, working with a number of well-known organizations, including Wells Fargo, Sprint Nextel, Quadrant Homes, and the Los Angeles Police Department. A graduate of The Wharton School and Johns Hopkins University, he lives with his wife and daughters in Southern California, where he is an avid cyclist.

REVIEW QUOTES

Advance Praise for "In Pursuit of Elegance"

""In Pursuit of Elegance" is a fascinating intellectual romp that will change the way you look at your surroundings. As he takes readers from Jackson Pollock paintings to Dutch intersections to the secret menu at In-N-Out Burger, Matt May reveals the hidden elements beneath genuine innovation. This book is surprising, compelling, and, yes, extremely elegant."--Daniel H. Pink, author of "A Whole New Mind" and "The Adventures of Johnny Bunko"

"As elegantly written as it is provocative, "In Pursuit of Elegance" makes a convincing--nay, worldview-shifting--argument that less is best."--Ori Brafman, coauthor of "Sway"

"Enlightening. Makes a compelling case for doing more with less by optimizing the expenditure of one's assets and resources. That's something anyone can and should put into practice." --Kevin Hunter, president, CALTY Design Research, Inc., Toyota Design Network

"What a masterpiece! The definitive guide to the 'less is more' mind-set. I meant to only take a quick glance at "In Pursuit of Elegance", but once I started reading it, I couldn't stop. In a world where everything keeps getting more complicated and overwhelming, Matthew May shows us that if we start looking for things to take out, things to stop doing, and intelligent shortcuts, we will all be happier, do superior work, and live in a better world."--Robert I. Sutton, Stanford professor and author of "The No Asshole Rule"